No magic wand to eliminate corruption: PM!

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August 22, 2011 / ANI, Kolkata / DC.

Stating that there was no magic wand to eliminate corruption immediately, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said on Monday, that his government will come up with a systematic way to deal with the menace.

Addressing students and faculty at the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata, Dr. Singh said the government would do everything in its power to fight corruption.

“The government is serious about removing corruption. The Lokpal Bill is with the Parliamentary Standing Committee. I have invited individuals to make their concerns clear on the Lokpal Bill,” said Singh.

He further emphasized that there was a need for the introduction of strong procedures to combat corruption.

“The government is open to having a debate on amendments required in the Lokpal Bill. Strong procedures are needed to combat corruption. Restructuring government procedures and structures is of utmost importance. We need thorough reforms. The government has no problems on having a debate on the various provisions of the Lokpal Bill,” Manmohan said, adding that the government should provide a Bill that benefits the common man in the short and long term.

The Prime Minister’s statement came even as social activist Anna Hazare’s fast for an effective Jan Lokpal Bill entered its seventh day on Monday.

Addressing media, civil society activist Arvind Kejriwal, when asked if there had been any parleys between the government and Team Anna, said: “Where should we go and whom should we meet.”

“The future strategy is for the government to tell. Right now, there is nothing on the agenda. Nobody has approached us,” he added.

Giving an update on Hazare’s health, he said the 74- year-old social activist had lost five kilograms as of now and that infection in his blood and urine had been traced. He added that a health check-up is being done on him.

   

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http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/east/no-magic-wand-eliminate-corruption-pm-525

2G Spectrum Scam, Arguments: A Raja targets Tata, PM, Attorney General, Chidambaram!

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Neha Khanna, Updated: July 26, 2011 19:01 IST.

New Delhi:  With all guns blazing, A Raja took clear aim today in court at the Prime Minister, P Chidambaram, Ratan Tata, and Attorney General GE Vahanvati. Mr Raja was defending the charges against him in the telecom scam, which he is accused of spawning when he was Telecom Minister.

First, Mr Raja sought to make good by stating,  "I did not seek to implicate the Prime Minister and the then Finance Minister in the 2G case." He also blamed the media for "putting words in my mouth" and declared "I am not after anybody."Through the course of the day, he again placed the PM squarely in his line of defense, and said that Mr Chidambaram should be made a witness in the trial. 

Mr Raja's position is clear: if he is guilty of violating the country's telecom policy, others who could have prevented him failed to do so.   Mr Raja was Telecom Minister till November when he resigned over charges of corruption and the 2G scam. He was arrested in February and has been in Tihar Jail since.

For example, he said that if the Prime Minister wanted, he could have set up a Group of Ministers (GoM)  to supervise the manner in which Mr Raja sold licenses in 2008 for mobile networks and the airwaves they use.  Mr Raja has been accused of selling those licenses at bizarrely low rates, to companies who were not eligible for them but benefited from Mr Raja's patronage. "The Prime Minister is superior to me and he could have constituted the GoM," Mr Raja said.  

In late 2007, Mr Raja over-ruled the recommendations of the Law Ministry that a Group of Ministers be consulted on the pricing and distribution of spectrum.  Mr Raja told the PM this was not necessary.  Mr Chidambaram was Finance Minister at the time.

As he is going down, he appear to be determinant to tarnish the images of as many big fish as possible!

Whatever, even if the complicity of some of them whom he accuses to be the co-conspirators, is proven, his own guild doesn't get diminished nor his punishment would be reduced!!

Further, so far his line of argument is that he was only following what all of his predecessors were doing but hasn't denied that he hasn't, illegally, gained anything out of spectrum allocation racket!!!

Full Story at,

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/a-raja-targets-tata-pm-attorney-general-chidambaram-122207

2G Spectrum Scam: Arguments on charges in 2G case likely to commence from July 11!

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PTI / The Hindu / NEW DELHI, July 5, 2011.

Former Telecom Minister A Raja, an accused in the 2G spectrum scam, after being produced in Patiala House court in New Delhi. File photo - PTI.

A Delhi court is likely to begin hearing from July 11 arguments on framing of charges in the high-profile 2G spectrum case in which DMK MP Kanimozhi and former Telecom Minister A Raja are among the accused.

Special Judge O.P. Saini, who is dealing exclusively with the 2G case, today said the arguments on framing charges could commence from July 11 and warned the prosecution and the defence that it will impose a fine if they fail to complete the process of scrutiny and supply of documents at the earliest.

“From next Monday (July 11), we can start arguments on charge (in the case),” the judge said after defence counsel Majid Memon asked the court about the tentative schedule for beginning arguments on framing of charges.

The judge also asked the CBI and the defence counsel to expedite the process of scrutiny of documents so that the arguments could commence at the earliest.

“Court can impose fine if this process (supply of relied-upon documents) is not completed,” the judge said.

Full Story at,

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2161824.ece